Ghana and Jamaica Sign Agreement to Deploy Nurses and Teachers Abroad

Ghana and Jamaica Seal Deal to Export Nurses and Teachers


Ghanaian nurses and teachers are set to benefit from new job opportunities in Jamaica following the signing of a bilateral agreement between the two nations. This move marks a significant step in skilled labour mobility, mirroring the earlier success of Ghana’s partnership with Barbados, which has seen hundreds of Ghanaian nurses deployed to the Caribbean since 2020.

The latest agreement was reached during high-level talks between Ghana’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, and Jamaica’s Foreign Minister, Senator Kamina Johnson Smith, on the sidelines of the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS) summit held in Brussels.

“Jamaica is ready to receive nurses and teachers from Ghana under a special bilateral partnership,” Mr. Ablakwa shared in a Facebook post on Saturday, May 24. He further disclosed that both countries had also agreed to intensify political consultations aimed at expanding cooperation in trade, education, agribusiness, tourism, and cultural and sports exchange.

The new arrangement lays out a formal structure for recruiting qualified Ghanaian professionals in the health and education sectors to help Jamaica meet its growing workforce demands. It includes provisions for streamlined accreditation, recognition of Ghanaian professional qualifications, and specialised visa options for those selected.

According to Minister Ablakwa, the agreement represents a “mutually beneficial partnership” that not only strengthens historical ties but also responds to current labour market needs. Ghanaian professionals recruited under this pact are expected to receive competitive salaries aligned with international benchmarks.

This initiative comes at a time when Ghana is grappling with an oversupply of trained professionals and limited local employment opportunities. Former Health Minister Bernard Okoe Boye revealed that Ghana produces about 55,000 nurses each year—far more than the local health system can absorb. In 2024 alone, the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association reported that over 4,000 nurses had emigrated, while the Ghana Health Service estimated that more than 10,000 nurses and midwives had left the country.

Similarly, Ghana’s teacher training colleges turn out over 20,000 graduates annually, but less than 40% are absorbed into the public education sector.

Analysts believe the new Ghana-Jamaica agreement could generate between $50 million and $75 million annually in remittances, ease unemployment among skilled professionals, and position Jamaica as an attractive alternative to traditional migration destinations like the UK and the US.



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